SMU Mustangs: Unconventional Success is Something to Appreciate
By Reid Hanson
The SMU Mustangs are going to the NCAA Tournament, looking to make a mark on their biggest stage yet, and doing so in very unconventional fashion.
The SMU Mustangs are hard NOT to like this season. Gone is the polarizing trouble-magnet, Larry Brown. Gone are the violations that banished the SMU Mustangs from the postseason in 2015. Still remaining are the scars of the academic fraud scandal. Painfully still here are the missing scholarships, embarrassment, and shortened bench.
The SMU Mustangs are both teams.
They are the promising team that once violated NCAA rules and they are the grinding squad of seven that never quits and seemingly always surprises today.
Even last season when they were saddled with the postseason ban, the SMU Mustangs posted one of their best seasons to-date, going 25-5. Many teams would have imploded under the futility of a season devoid of postseason reward.
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The SMU Mustangs powered on.
Key stars like Sterling Brown and Ben Moore stayed the course. They could have left, and frankly, who would have blamed them? Joining them was a surprising transfer. Semi Ojeleye, a transfer from Duke, has been a beast on offense for the SMU Mustangs.
Without the luxury of a full arsenal of scholarships, SMU largely relies on only seven players. Their hyper aggressive defense uses size and speed to trap and create turnovers.
Despite the aggressiveness, players are rarely in foul trouble, which is extremely important considering the two-man bench.
The offense utilizes penetration as well as pick and roll to frustrate defenses. They are strong on the glass and deadly from 3-point range. Called the “five-wing” offense, the Mustangs blur the lines on position roles on offense, just as much as they do on defense. Charles Pierce does a great job of breaking it down here.
Quite simply, the SMU Mustangs are a match-up nightmare and a dangerous team to face in the NCAA Tournament.
"“Those of us that have lived all of this and known what these guys have been through,” said Tim Jankovich. “And the way they’ve acted and the way they’ve competed and the lack of whining, complaining, pointing fingers, and all of that. And then for them to have cut down the nets in two different – in a week in a row, they’re cutting down nets and now we’re getting to go into the NCAA Tournament.”"
The unconventional success the SMU Mustangs are finding these days is truly worth our admiration. With so many hurdles – so many road blocks – so many obstacles, the Mustangs have found a way to win.
They are a team without positions on offense or defense. SMU is a team without bench reserves or a margin of error. But they are also a team almost impossible to plan for and brilliant at imposing their will and their game speed.
This entire season has been unconventional for the SMU Mustangs and that’s part of what makes them so fun to watch and so easy to appreciate. Clearly getting disrespected with a No. 6 seed indicates that not everyone is appreciating their unconventional success, but I have a feeling everyone soon will.